Category:Character builds - NWN2Wiki, the Neverwinter Nights 2 wiki
I see only 3 builds with any levels of Warlock.. strange.
Worse still:
1 is predicated on a *way* overbalanced power mod;
Blacklock - Wlk(26),BG(4) - NWN2Wiki, the Neverwinter Nights 2 wiki
..another requires a near total suspension of reality in the "build process" - striving for one of the less useful invocations a Warlock has - "Word of Change" i.e. demon form;
DemonMonk Wlk(18),M(12) - NWN2Wiki, the Neverwinter Nights 2 wiki
..and the third, while competent, doesn't maximize the Warlock's potential WHERE IT CAN ACTUALLY USE IT.
Divine Warlock - Wlk(29),Clr(1) - NWN2Wiki, the Neverwinter Nights 2 wiki
..............................................
I think the real reason for this is a limited understanding of a Warlock's Invocations. Rather than go into all the invocations, I'll just hit the "uber" highlights.
First - ANY build that has Charisma as a moderately high level attribute should consider the Invocation: "The Dark Ones Own Luck". Most attacks or effects have some save component, and a high save can provide a fair degree of immunity to just about anything (particularly in Epic builds with Epic Resilience). This means Sorcerers and Favored Souls should almost automatically include one level of Warlock. (..and note that one level is all it takes). Moreover Paladin's (despite the alignment restriction) and Blackguards should almost certainly consider one level as a Warlock. Obviously for a Warlock this invocation is a "no-brainer", but in keeping with that (and adhering to the overall alignment restrictions - *2* levels as a Blackguard are pretty much mandatory for a good Warlock build.
Second - Most other decent builds I've seen are premised on Eldritch Blast, and yes, at epic levels it can be substantial. However, that isn't where the real power is with this class.
The REAL power the Warlock has can be obtained as early as 11th level. Almost god-like power.:speech:
So (in this instance) whats the killer app.?
Well its actually a combination of Invocations:
1. 2nd level "Walk Unseen".
2. 3rd level "Tenacious Plague".
The "Walk Unseen" Invocation is "just" Invisibility. But "just" Invisibility has a few spectacular things going for it beyond the obvious of being invisible:
A. its 24 hours in length (..so its "on" all the time until its dispelled or you perform an action that makes you visible).
B. it provides concealment (and the concealment in practice works better than "outed" Greater Invisibility OR Displacement). (..for those who don't know: concealment is a percentage chance to miss the character in a physical attack - and it seems to be very high with Invisibility "in-place").
C. Other than making a *direct attack* (either magical or physical), it stays on unless someone casts "Invisibility Purge" or manages to dispel it. Moreover, opponents likely to have such ability usually rely on Blindsight or True Seeing to see your character (which allows that *one* opponent to see you and target you, but does NOT allow other opponents the same capability and does NOT remove the spell's concealment).
Of these 3 attributes "C" is the least well understood. Note the emphasis on "direct attack" - its CRITICAL to understanding the full value of this Invocation.
Trying to strike an opponent with a ranged attack via arrows from a bow = visibility.
Trying to strike an opponent with a melee attack = visibility.
Trying to hit an opponent with an Eldritch Blast ranged touch attack = visibility.
Having an opponent walk into a damaging area spell effect = visibility.
BUT,
Using a summoning spell = REMAIN INVISIBLE.
(..and in fact any spell or action that isn't a direct attack.)
A summon attacks an opponent = REMAIN INVISIBLE.
This means that by Warlock level 8 (where you have access to *2* 2nd level Invocations), that you could select "Walk Unseen" and "The Dead Walk" and constantly summon your undead until it kills your opponents. However it may take a while, because it isn't exactly the most powerful summon.
Another interesting combination is with the (also) 2nd level Invocation: "Charm" (..which is like having Charm Person and Charm Monster combined). Find more than one opponent near each other and charm one of them. Effectively it lets your opponents kill each other, the only serious problem here is that you won't get experience points for the kill. Your character of course gets to stay invisible the entire time.
However the best result is achieved with the previously mentioned "Tenacious Plague". This Invocation has several benefits:
1. Most importantly it *IS* a SUMMON. It sure targets like a direct attack, but all its really doing is defining an opponent or an area to summon a groupings of insects (that will actually be doing the attacking). If your character is invisible and using this invocation, then you get to stay invisible.
2. Unlike "The Dead Walk" this summon can't be hurt or killed, and I've never seen it dispelled or dismissed/banished.
3. For purposes of Damage Reduction - any damage is treated as magical damage. Still, there will be some opponents that can defeat this by having good magical damage reduction. So it won't work against all opponents, but it will work against *almost* all opponents.
4. Because its a physical attack, it does rely on a BAB.. BUT with a high Charisma level character that BAB can be *VERY* high. (..its bonus is 2 times your Charisma, NOT 2 times your Charisma modifier). Additionally, opponents with very high concealment are usually hit some of the time.
5. The 2d6 (maximum of 12 damage per hit and no criticals) is per "swarm". You get 1 "swarm" for every 3 Warlock levels - so at level 11 when you can first select a 3rd level invocation you would have 3 swarms (or 3 times 2d6) per casting per round for 3 rounds. At Warlock level 12 its 4 times 2d6 per round for 3 rounds.
6. The invocation's description states:
"..Tenacious plague does not stack with itself - if the warlock uses this invocation while swarms still exist, the current swarms will be replaced with the new swarms."
As of (at least) the latest build this is INCORRECT. It *does* stack.:mischief:
But, it only lasts 3 rounds so at best you won't ever have more than 3 castings of it going at one time. Moreover for damage reduction it isn't really "stacking" - i.e. 3 castings of 3 times 2d6 doesn't become "3 times 6d6", its really "just" - 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6 for that one round.
At Warlock level 27 just one casting produces that per round, i.e.:
A. 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6,
at that class level - cast it again and the next round is:
B. 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6.
at that class level - cast it one more time (for the maximum damage capable per round):
C. 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6, 2d6.
..and because each casting lasts 3 rounds the next few rounds WITHOUT ANYMORE CASTING produce:
"B" again, and then "A" again.
Of course thats with only one opponent in the area of effect/attack/summon. If you have multiple opponents then it usually does some sort of damage division between the opponents in that area of effect.
Still,
Doing all that damage while virtually invincible and usually undetectable *almost* makes your Warlock a god in this game. Moreover, while the "kill" won't occur as quickly - its still pretty much the same effect at as low a class level as Warlock 11.
Beyond that information.. what can make it better?
The Feat "Able Learner" and one level of Rogue or Shadow Dancer (in addition to the 2 Blackguard levels), to effectively "unlock" the skill Move Silently - which helps with your concealment while invisible.
..anyway,
I hope this gives some a slightly different perspective on the usefulness of the Warlock class.